Google Tasks Pricing

Free with a Google account

Last updated November 16, 2015. Please visit the official site for the most up-to-date information.

Google Tasks Review

There is an almost endless selection of to-do list apps. Many include power-user features to justify lofty price tags, but for most of us, the digital equivalent of a basic checklist is perfectly sufficient. This is exactly what Google Tasks offers, with the addition of a few useful integrations with other Google services. What’s more, it is completely free.

Primarily an adjunct to Gmail and Google Calendar, Google Tasks lives as a pop-up tab or sidebar alongside your inbox or itinerary, respectively. You'll find it in Gmail by clicking Mail in the top-left and selecting Tasks from the drop-down, or in Google Calendar by selecting the My Tasks list on the left sidebar. To add to-dos, click on the list then type in in the task that needs to be done. Then, click the right-facing arrow on each task in order to add a due date and a text note, or press Return on your keyboard and start typing in another tasks.

Even as a simple todo list, Google Tasks lets you organize your tasks as needed. Drag and drop tasks into the order you want, or use the arrow keys on your keyboard to move a task up or down. Or, for more organization, you can add lists to Google Tasks and move tasks into the lists you want—though you will have to click into each list to see the tasks you've added to it. You can even print off your lists straight from the app if you want.

The simplicity is refreshing, even if the features are fairly unremarkable. But if you’re a regular Google user, Tasks is likeable because of how it interacts with Gmail and Calendar. To best understand this, imagine a scenario: a friend sends you news of an exciting vacancy. By selecting More > Add to Tasks in Gmail, you can add a Google Tasks reminder to yourself to apply for the job along with a due date so you won't miss the submissions deadline. The reminder will then automatically appear along with your events in Google Calendar. It feels like the kind of basic workflow that should be available in every to-do list app—and yet, it's virtually unheard of outside of Google Tasks.

The other main advantage with Tasks is accessibility. Your tasks are automatically visible in Gmail and Google Calendar, and they'll also show up on your Android devices. With the official Chrome extension installed, you can open up your lists from your browser’s toolbar. Away from the desktop web version, you can view and edit your to-dos on pretty much any mobile browser—even on an ancient feature phone or a Kindle. There are a number of third-party apps for Google Tasks on Android, iOS, and Windows Phone as well.

In short, Google Tasks is just a really simple way to stay organized. Dedicated Gmail users will get the best experience, of course, but it is entirely usable as a standalone to-do app via the Chrome extension, and on mobile. Furthermore, Tasks integrates well with many non-Google services—including Zapier—so you can sync your tasks to other apps and move team projects into a more full-featured project management app if needed.